Could YOU do it??
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Support
Forum Name: Budgeting
Forum Description: Want to save before baby arrives? Struggling on one income? Found some great ways to make your dollar go further? Share your thoughts & tips here.
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=38049
Printed Date: 23 November 2024 at 5:24pm
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Topic: Could YOU do it??
Posted By: Hopes
Subject: Could YOU do it??
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:01am
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I was reading a http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10706851 - news article about John Key saying that people who had to resort to food parcels had made bad decisions to need to do so. I was curious, so I took the figures the article gave about the dole ($194pw) and accomodation supplement (I assumed max, $225pw), and calculated what someone in our situation (one baby) would get from WFF($88pw).
I doubt we'd get that much accomodation supplement (specially since we live in Hamilton, they'd surely give us less than someone in Auckland) - but I've assumed for the calculation that we could rent a house on whatever we got. Which leaves us $282 a week to live on. I've come to the conclusion that we could do it, but it would be a real stretch. $70 - food / gorcery stuff $20 - petrol $32 - car upkeep (this is our actual figure per week, allowing for tires, warrents, rego etc. Doesn't include third party) $25 - phone/internet (you could trim this, I guess I don't NEED the internet) $40 - power $15 - clothing $25 - baby (nappies etc) That leaves $55 a week for Drs visits, dentist, extra baby stuff, any insurance you want, and the odd choccie bar. It would be a stretch!! I honestly don't think I blame anyone living on this much to have some weeks where they've already used the grocery money before the week starts, and need a hand. Eta that it also makes some assumptions that aren't likely for someone in this situation. $25 a week is our actual 'baby' allocation in our budget - but I don't know if I could do that if I didn't use cloth nappies, and if you're on the dole you might well not have the $$ to outlay for them. -------------   
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Replies:
Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:25am
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It would be a stretch, but I know what I used to live off when I was a student (much less than that!), so I'm sure I could do it. Not to mention I grew up in a pretty poor household where the living was pretty basic, but in the end it doesn't matter. At least I know it isn't going to impact badly on my kids not having the latest toys or clothes etc growing up. They'll at least learn to appreciate what they do have.
I'm curious what do you buy for the baby that costs $25/week? If I wanted to save money on nappies, I'd use cloth nappies off trademe - you can get really good deals if you look for long enough, and 9 months is plenty long enough 
Breastfeeding is pretty much free, and baby-led weaning costs next to nothing either. I buy a 6-pack of yoghurt for DD that lasts 2 weeks, and thats about the only extra that I wouldn't have bought if it wasn't for her. That said, although I could do it, I'm glad I don't have to anymore and feel for people who have to do it for years. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: james
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:26am
only just ------------- <a href="http://lilypie.com"><img src="http://b4.lilypie.com/nLJ5p13.png" alt="Lilypie 4th Birthday Ticker" border="0" /></a> |
Posted By: Hopes
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:46am
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The baby budget doesn't usually get used weekly apart from for the odd packet of disposable nappies (we use them at nights), but I put that aside for when we need something bigger. For example, his carseat, and stuff like that. I just took that bit straight from our budget, you could probably trim it down a bit.
Actually, a lot of that is our budget - I just took out things that weren't essential, like insurance, what I save for presents, what it costs to feed/de-flea the cat etc. If you could do without a car, you'd save a lot! -------------
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Posted By: Plushie
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:02am
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I like to think that i could, i lived on the $150 student allowence for three years out of which i payed $90 rent and $30 power/phone per week AND lived so far from uni i drove...left me $10 a week roughly for food and luxurys. Sucks when you need tampons/shampoo etc thats for sure!
My first step would be to lose the car as well, or run it as little as possible. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:29am
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are you doing it as a single person with a baby on DPB or a couple on the UB, I am not sure of figures what a couple would get.
How do you get WFF if you are not working & getting a benefit? You have to work at least 30hrs a week to get it so I was told. A friend of mine was on the DPB with 1 child & she got about $550 a week with rent $360 a week in AK, so that left her with about $190 for food, water, power, phone, car, school, insurance & clothing. She got behind with bills all the time but if she gave up smoking she would of had more $. She is still on it but living at home now & gets about $300 a week, I think she should get off it & get a job as her child is 12 now & she was on it before he was born. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:31am
I don't think John Key factors in tampons pity.
I don't know how anyone can live of $10 a week
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bowie wrote:Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:37am
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i dont have a budget written out but i am sure if i had to i could live like that. my husband would probably hurt the most as he likes treats in the cupboard. where we live is close to most stuff we need so i could probably do without the car and that would cut out the petrol and car costs. my husband takes the train to work though so we would have to factor that in. at present it costs (i think) $170 a month. we dont have baby costs and i would probably get rid of the landline before i got rid of the internet! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:42am
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ok so i split our bills into weekly and without food it came to $176 - that wasnt running the car though and it included insurance, but that would be less without the car. that would leave me $106 a week for groceries and incidentals including clothes and school stuff - they seem to want money for sausage sizzles and stuff all the time.
luckily for me i wouldnt have to factor in tampons!  reusable products for me here - and we dont do shampoo - except my husband. in fact i think the husband and the cats would be the biggest cost to me so i would probably have to leave my husband and get the DPB! ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 9:47am
lol about DH Bizzy My DH is bad for wanting, getting stuff without a thought to how much it cost...he even had he cheek to say to me, do I need help with the budget so I told him there is no problem with the budget just his spending...so he has pulled his head in & wants to save as much as poss now...men
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Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 2:10pm
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I think it could be done, obviously people do do it, but yes, it would mean being super careful.
I think $40 a week for power is pretty extravagant. We pay about $70 a month in summer and $120 a month in winter. And yeah, I would get rid of the landline, only use the car when essential etc. Unfortunately it would be harder and harder the older the children get, with things like clothing, uniforms, school trips, stationary etc etc. I take my hat off to those who do live on the DPB, it certainly can't be easy. -------------  
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Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 2:44pm
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Probably, we lived on Just DP's wage for about 5mths of my pregnancy because I was made redundant which sucked. So we were living on what was meant to be $650pw but he always had a bar tab because he never cooked lunch and took it to work so he ate at work and that was expensive, at the time we didn't pay for parking because he was friends with viaduct security and we paid our $250 on rent so no accommodation supplement because I worked occasionaly on a casual contract which was STUPID
so ours was roughly rent $250 gas $80 between the two cars food $100 Phone and internet $22.5 Power $40 Paying off debt $70 his phone $20 my phone and insurance about $15 We are looking at moving out so I am going to have to spend more time doing our budget, he gets paid better now so need to crack into his account to see how much on average it is and trim the fat where needed. I was a much better shopper when we weren't living at my parents as I went to the butcher and bought what was on special and had all the food in the freezer. We also ate alot of fresh fruit ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 4:56pm
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40 a power is excessive? wow ..our power bill is about 120 summer and 300 in winter:( and that is normal round here.. :( it's awful and ridiculous.. wow I couldn't live off that amount.. but then we definitely could budget better... mind you we get no accomodation supplement either but WFf for two kids.. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:33pm
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Oh I think the max that WINZ pays for the accommodation supplement may be about $300 but I could be wrong, its different if your income is through winz only. Such as if your only on the DPB or UB because they pay your whole rent to a point unlike if you are working and getting the accommodation supplement they pay a fraction depending on your earnings. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker">
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Posted By: shadowfeet
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:44pm
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If you have a welcome home loan are you even eligible for the accommodation supplement, seeing as you're paying a mortgage to a housing new zealand coorporation? So it would be pretty impossible in that case ------------- 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:50pm
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$40 a week for power is amazing!!! here its about$140 per month in summer and up to $400 in winter...and thats without heating or water (gas).
I put aside $895!!! a fortnight for our bills....excluding food and mortgage. What am I spending that you guys arent? This is ours per fortnight. Ok we could do without sky..but the rest is pretty realistic I would have thought. Telecom $55.00 Insurance $60.00 Life Ins $46.00 Health Ins $76.00 Rates $65.00 Sky $35.00 AA $5.00 Car (WOF, rego, service) $50.00 Childcare $130.00 Power $100.00 Gas $135.00 Fuel $50.00 Misc $85.00 |
Posted By: mumoftwins
Date Posted: 17 February 2011 at 7:53pm
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While I don't agree with John Key most of the time....this time I do to an extent.
My DH lost his job 2 wks before our 4th baby arrived (last official day of work was the day she was born!) and we had to go on the dole. It was 16 weeks before he was employed again ( and we had to move cities to get a job). We survived, paid off our car, covered all our bills every month and ate well (budget, but well). What many people don't realise is the basic dole amount is not all you get! If you have car payments and HP's they can be covered by the temporary additional support payment. You get WFF's and accommodation supplement. I was stunned (and relieved!!) to learn just how much we were going to receive each week. I can see how some choose to make the dole a life style but can't understand why you would want too......you are not rolling in cash, we had very little left over after all the necessary stuff was paid for. Some, not all of the people using the food banks are there because of bad decisions yes......and some will be there because of an unexpected bill.....but you also get 500 dollars in food grants (we think it is every 6 months....can't remember) for just such a situation! People need to learn real budgeting skills, good shopping skills and how to NOT waste money. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 18 February 2011 at 8:19am
Our power bill is usually about the same as MamaT's, but last winter we all had swine flu and DD especially bad, so we had the heaters going pretty much constantly (especially once we ran out of firewood cos we'd had the fire going way more than we'd planned) and we racked up a couple of $500/month bills. We were pretty  but also so glad that me working means our budget can cope with that if it has to (we cut other things out, but at least there were things that could be cut). I can't imagine how hard it would be having a sick baby and having to worry about how much it was costing you to keep them warm ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2011 at 8:43am
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I have just changed power companies so am waiting for the first bill. Usually about $150-180 in summer & around $300+ in winter but we use heaters.
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2011 at 8:55am
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mumoftwins I agree with what you said about budgeting skills.
Glad your DH got a job again. My DH job was disestablished as a direct hit from the government on his sector & with the chance of redundancy I rang WINZ to see what would happen to us as I am not working. They had just brought in a benefit with extra help for those that lost their jobs due to the recession. I was going to get part time work while he was looking for work & they advised me not to do it as we would not get as much . So with redundancy, kids & what they would of paid for several months & the extra help they can offer we would of been quite alright...in the end he stayed where he was & moved to a different team with a pay rise so all worked out fine for us...but it goes to show you what is available out there.
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Posted By: pudgy
Date Posted: 18 February 2011 at 6:46pm
^^Ours is the same, and I turn everything off at the wall if not in use. I would love for ours to be $70 If we had to we could it would be a stretch and we'd probably eat a lot of mince but it'd doable. I wouldn't want to have to do it long term though. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: chickadeedoo
Date Posted: 18 February 2011 at 6:54pm
| boy $70 a month thats great - our last bill which was read was $255 and that was in summer! |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 28 February 2011 at 6:59pm
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Ours is normally sitting at about $120 in summer and goes up to $160 in winter. But in saying that we dont have a dishwasher and I only use the tumble dryer in winter.
But then again we dont switch stuff off at the wall. We have a pc downstairs on permanently with a lot of other electrical equipment. 4 laptops on sometimes. Hubby got some special kind of tools that need power as well. I bake quite a bit and use my stove a lot. Dont have a heated towel rail. Our power went up almost 200% when we had a visitor and when MIL was here with BIL is was nearly 300% more. Ouch. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: jem
Date Posted: 10 March 2011 at 11:35pm
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Wow!!! makes me feel good about our last power bill $54 we were home the whole time (didnt go away or anything) and that covers showers as well as we dont use any gas.
Insurance is about $20/month for 1car and contents, shopped around for insurance calling every insurance place in the phone book which we try to do once a year. we used www.consumer.org.nz/powerswitch to choose what power company to go with. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 7:03am
just got my first power bill from the new company $150 but $133 if paid early which I have done, not sure if much or any cheaper but you get fly buys
we need look at our insurances also |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 7:18am
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Jazzy, what company are you with?? ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 12:11pm
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just changed to Contact energy they do fly buys. Not sure if it will be cheaper & I never use fly buys as I forget about them but now I may get a few & can get something worth more than $5 lol
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 12:50pm
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Oh ok, contact is way more expensive than Genesis in this area. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 11 March 2011 at 2:09pm
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we needed to stay with Vector as they pay out yearly about $320 so did not want to miss out on it, Contact & Mercury are the only ones we can use so the fly buys & the %12 fast payment option was the seller to switch to Contact...time will tell if it worth it
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Posted By: sarasal
Date Posted: 03 April 2011 at 6:43pm
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This is really interesting for me to read what others spend on stuff. Our power bill can be as low as $80 in the summer, but we hardly ever have showers at home ... we have an annual pool membership and go swimming every day so just use the showers there (figure the power savings just about pay for the membership!). In winter it's about $160 using one heatpump for heating.
My partner and I were able to live on a student allowance for 3 years - only $300 a week between us. We'd spend $80 on food, bake our own bread, grow our own veges, make everything from scratch. That meant no phone, internet, doctors/dentists, hardly any new clothes. We had a car but tried to walk and bike everywhere. But that was over 2 years ago and I'd say food prices have just about doubled since then. Now having a baby, life is more expensive. I don't have the time to live so self-sufficiently with all the baking and gardening. I need to use the car more - we live in the far south and you just can't go out walking with a baby when it's wet and freezing. Now we have a mortgage so we don't have a choice about paying insurance. We live on about $700-$800 a week and we are pretty frugal & make a lot of sacrifices so I can stay home with my son and so that my partner only has to work 4 days a week. We chose to buy a house in Invercargill, far away from our families, because we can afford housing here. We don't have a landline, spend almost nothing on alcohol, takeaways, entertainment, childcare, cosmetics. We make our own cleaning products and beauty products & go reusable as much as possible - nappies, mooncup instead of tampons. So yeah, I'd find it real hard to live on the amount of dole. I really don't know what else we could cut out. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: littleb
Date Posted: 20 May 2011 at 8:22pm
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Wow I have found this really interesting...DP and I are a little concerned about our budgeting skills with our pending arrival. We have a mortgage and we do live on two full time incomes usually (my income is a bit larger and that's the one we will be losing - for a little while). I think we are really going to need to focus on some intense budgeting between now and the end of the year in an attempt to get ready for this baby!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://daisypath.com"> 
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 21 May 2011 at 6:44am
are you able to live off 1 wage & put the other away? I know that sounds hard to do but if you are having a long time off work after baby is born then you will be basically living off 1 wage. The more you can save now the easier it will be then. |
Posted By: littleb
Date Posted: 21 May 2011 at 2:42pm
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Jazzy that's what were going to attempt to do...I should be doing it right now actually
We are not very good with budgets and it's going to be tough but it's going to be worth it having hopefully 6 months worry free at home with new bub. I don't think we could handle longer. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: littleb
Date Posted: 21 May 2011 at 3:54pm
OMG Jazzy have just been through everything with a fine tooth comb and it's looking a little scary...hopefully I have budgeted on the generous side and we can trim some fat off as the months go by...might have to opt for a mortgage holiday?? I'm sure we will survive it's just going to be a bit tighter then normal. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://daisypath.com">
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 22 May 2011 at 6:32am
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littleb I think the thing is you learn to live with what you have. It can be a shock to drop a wage but with a good budget & a bit of shuffling you will cope.
I used to pick up up few extra things at the supermarket to put away & paid extra on things like power, phone, sky, water so they were in credit. I put money in to Bonus Bonds as you don't notice it gone. You could also have do a Christmas club at the supermarket or get the gift cards they have. There are lots of little changes you can make now to help later
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Posted By: amalyse
Date Posted: 02 June 2011 at 9:00am
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Nope I couldn't do it. I work out all of our stuff each month and how much we spend and we spend $4,000 per month roughly...
We could get cut the fat in a lot of places, but I doubt we could get down to less than $3,200 per month. We have a lot of insurances that we need to pay, including cover for if my husband looses his job because of illness. Because if we had to drop down to a beneficiary wage we would not survive!! I don't know how people do it? I used to be a student and survive on $200 a week too!?!??! ------------- 
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Posted By: amme_eilyk
Date Posted: 01 July 2011 at 2:44pm
| We managed it... just for 6 months but it was hard. but too be honest dh is only in part time work so we arent living on much more most weeks. |
Posted By: ....
Date Posted: 01 July 2011 at 9:44pm
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Eek, you guys can get $300 accommodation supplement? The most we can get on top on a benefit in Timaru for accommodation is $55, which really sucks since the Christchurch earthquakes, heaps of people have moved down here, either temporary or permanent, which has made rent skyrocket.
Really sucks having to go on DPB as BabyDaddy and I intended to still be together when he is born (due Monday) and now he'll be contributing $14 a week child support, and will never have time spare to have shared-care so I can work. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 02 July 2011 at 4:32pm
how can you get the DPB if you are still together? |
Posted By: ....
Date Posted: 03 July 2011 at 4:50pm
| @Jazzy We're not. |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 03 July 2011 at 5:22pm
I miss read then |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 09 July 2011 at 1:49pm
This is pretty much what we live on each week, and its HARD, so hard. We are lucky that we have family who help out a lot. My nana gets us food when she goes shopping, and she helps me with my car rego and types etc, and DH's mum helps him with his car up keep. i really struggle some weeks so make the budget stretch, but such is life...DH is due for a pay rise, but his wage goes up and our WFF goes down. Our problem is the debt we have, and thats totally our fault! As soon as we pay it off we will be much better off. ------------- |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 09 July 2011 at 2:26pm
that's always the way. You get more money & then you lose it somewhere else, but you never feel you get ahead. Have you worked out how much more you will get having 3 kids & don't forget you get a lump payment when you have baby, hopefully you wont need to buy much baby stuff
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Posted By: millemama
Date Posted: 09 July 2011 at 5:06pm
Can I ask what the "lump sum payment" is. Had our DD in oz and they paid out a $5000 lump sum which was really great and came in handy, don't know about anything here. chrs ------------- http://daisypath.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Spacette
Date Posted: 09 July 2011 at 9:13pm
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Just had a count up and we've been living on $238 after rent for the last few weeks while DF's p/t uni job is on break - accom supplement is $80 so definitely doesn't rent a house in Hamilton! It's tight but doable. We have a little bit more during term time though. He is a f/t student, so has allowance not dole, but I assume it's a similar amount.
What bugs me is how closely the numbers go down as soon as you earn anything - there should be an incentive 'window'! For instance, I'm probably going to teach one paper next semester cos I want to keep the connection/experience, but odds are we will be slightly worse off than before when accom supp comes off and allowance goes down a bit. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 09 July 2011 at 9:18pm
wow $5000... now way would NZ part with that, lol. I think its about $1200 here you get it instead of PPL, I have never had it as I had PPL for my last 2 kids. |